The FA Cup dates back to the 1871/1872 season, when 15 teams took part. Nowadays the competition kicks off in November with some 700 teams all having the same dream, of holding the cup aloft at Wembley Stadium in May.
Available :
May 2013 (annual)
Although not as high-profile as the FA Cup, in recent years the Carling Cup has enjoyed something of a renaissance, and the winners earn potentially lucrative UEFA Cup qualification. The final is played at Wembley Stadium.
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Feb 2013 (annual)
London's RAF Museum commemorates the bravery of those who took part in the Battle of Britain with a weekend of special activities. Bringing history to life, actors present the story of RAF pilots, while a living-history area shows the struggles they endured.
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Sep 2013 (annual)
Watford Museum tells the story of Watford past and present. Housed in the former offices of Benskins Brewery, it has displays of local history and industry, as well as paintings and sculpture.
Available :
Thu, Fri, and Sat only
Ghoulish goings-on and spooky sights await any child courageous enough to enter Watford Museum this Halloween. Under cover of darkness it opens its chambers and holds a night-time tour through its creepy corridors - with plenty of surprises.
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Oct 2013 (annual)
With 140 stores, including the likes of John Lewis, Marks & Spencer, BHS and Next, Watford's Harlequin Shopping Centre offers an unrivalled shopping experience, where you literally can shop 'til you drop!
Available :
Daily
The London Mela brings the best of South Asian culture to Gunnersbury Park in Ealing every year. Entrance is free for live music, dance, film and fashion and there are market stalls and a mouthwatering selection of food and drink.
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Aug 2013 (annual)
The Watford Palace Theatre, which reopened in autumn 2004 after a £8.7m refurbishment, is a hive of cultural activity for Watford. The theatre produces nine shows a year, many of which tour nationally and transfer to the West End.
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Daily
Gunnersbury Park Museum is the former home of the Rothschild family, who lived there when the air of Acton was "untainted". Now a museum, the former mansion contains imaginative exhibits which illustrate the family's life and an interesting programme of temporary displays.
Available :
Daily
Sancho Panza is firmly established as one of the most popular sound systems at the Notting Hill Carnival. Each year around thousands of people forsake the carnival floats to squeeze themselves as close as possible to the Sancho speakers.
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Aug 2013 (annual)
Around a million people hit Notting Hill's streets in West London for Europe's biggest carnival. Fabulous floats make a colourful circuit of the area and sound systems blast out music all day. Sample delicious Caribbean jerk chicken or Jamaican patties.
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Aug 2013 (annual)
A splendid vista of English greenery, Cassiobury Park was once the estate of the Earls of Essex, as restored by Charles II. It is now administered by Watford Borough Council, offering a variety of natural habitats on either side of the Grand Union Canal for sporting and leisure pursuits. A mixture of flowerbeds, shrubberies and meadowland, the park is a haven for cycle riders, locals and visitors alike to escape the urban hustle and bustle.
Available :
Daily
Queens Park Rangers play their home matches at Loftus Road Stadium. The Premier League runs between August and May and full fixture lists can be found on the club websites. Please note: games may be rearranged due to cup or television commitments.
Available :
18 Aug 2012 - 19 May 2013 (annual)
Founded in 1996, the Portobello Film Festival has been described as "London's biggest filmic free-for-all". The large independent film festival screens new shorts and features, cult movies and more at various locations around Notting Hill's Portobello area, including Westbourne Studios.
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Aug - Sep 2013 (annual)
Number 20 Maresfield Gardens, Hampstead, was Sigmund Freud's last home after he fled Austria following the German invasion of 1938. Today the house is maintained as a museum, with holdings including Freud's library, his collection of antiquities, and, of course, his famous rug-covered couch.
Available :
Daily; not Mon or Tue
The name of this centre in London's Maida Vale gives little away - this is where Iyengar yoga happens every hour of every day. Learn with the experts in a variety of ways.
Available :
Daily
Parliament Hill, one of the highest points on north London's Hampstead Heath, offers unbeatable views of the city. Join kite-flyers and make the most of the wind and the thrilling backdrop, featuring St Paul's, Canary Wharf and other prominent landmarks.
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Daily
The modern, airy arcades at Westfield London Shopping Centre in Shepherd's Bush are home to a plethora of labels, from top designer Gucci to high-street brand H&M. Stop for lunch at one of the many onsite restaurants.
Available :
Daily
Kenwood House is an idyllic cream mansion on north London's Hampstead Heath. View paintings by Rembrandt, Turner and Gainsborough left by the first Earl of Iveagh in 1927. A walk across the heath provides spectacular views of London.
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Daily
Originally a simple track leading to a farm called Porto Bello, today Portobello Road in Notting Hill hosts one of London's hippest street markets. With lots of antiques stalls, jewellery and vintage frocks, it's something of a must-see.
Available :
Sat only
The Museum of Brands, Packaging and Advertising opened in December 2005 to showcase the extensive Robert Opie collection - the world's largest collection of advertising imagery - along with a range of brand and packaging material.
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Daily; not Mon
The poet's London residence from 1818 to 1820 was the venue in which he wrote his finest poems. Today it houses a museum and library devoted to the poet.
Available :
Daily; not Mon
The Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew are a venerated institution, UNESCO World Heritage Site and internationally renowned as a pioneering centre of botanical research, study and conservation. They are open throughout the year for all to enjoy.
Available :
Daily
Kew Gardens swings to the sounds of salsa, jazz and blues during the annual open-air Kew the Music concert series. Sit back and enjoy the music in beautiful leafy surroundings. The tickets support Kew's plant science and conservation work.
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Jul 2013 (annual)
Voted London's favourite pool by the capital's swimmers in May 2005, the Porchester Baths are an art deco-inspired architectural treasure built back in the day when water was scarce and bathing was trendy.
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Daily
The Hereford Road restaurant serves fresh, nationally-sourced produce and the simple cooking ensures that British meat, fish and vegetables are at the focus of the daily-changing menu.
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Indie junkies in skinny black jeans head for London's Camden Crawl. Fifty venues across Camden welcome bands and surprise guests and host quizzes, film shorts, DJ aftershow parties and musical bingo!
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May 2013 (annual)
Get your best groove on for the weekly Yo Yo night at the Notting Hill Arts Club. Resident hip-hop and old school boogie masters Seb Chew and Leo Greenslade spin their stuff every Thursday. You'd be mad to miss it.
Available :
Thu only
All curious nooks and crannies, the charming 19th-century Windsor Castle pub in Notting Hill scores top points for olde-worlde character, with its polished wood panelling, red brick and low ceilings. It's the perfect spot for a quiet drink by the fire in winter, or with friends in the leafy beer garden in summer.
Available :
Daily
The Friends Life T20 begins with a group format in June, before quarter finals in July and Finals Day at Southampton's Rose Bowl in August. Middlesex Panthers play their home games at Lord's, Richmond and Uxbridge.
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Jun - Aug 2013 (annual)
Kensington Place was the first modern brasserie to open in London back in the 1980s. Nowadays the Notting Hill establishment is led by head chef Henry Vigar and offers French-inspired set menus for lunch and dinner. Next door is The Fish Shop, where you can buy some of the restaurant's well-known seafood dishes ready prepared.
Available :
Daily
Tucked behind one of London's more famous restaurants, Kensington Place, Notting Hill's Life Centre gets on with the more serious business of yoga, yoga and yoga, (with plenty of pampering to make you feel extra good).
Available :
Daily
An annual summer fixture since 1989, Opera Holland Park performs fully staged opera under Holland Park Theatre's spectacular canopy. The all-new productions in 2011 comprise Don Pasquale, L'amico Fritz, Le nozze di Figaro, La rondine, Rigoletto and La Wally.
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Jun - Aug 2013 (annual)
Join holistic friends at Kensington Olympia for the Mind Body & Soul Exhibition - a gathering of all things alternative, organic and spritually awakening. Listen to talks, engage in workshops and buy or sample numerous products.
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Sep 2013 (annual)
Each year thousands of adults of all ages and sexual persuasions visit the Olympia Exhibition Centre's Erotica event in search of products to enhance their lifestyle. Exhibitors sell everything from clubwear, leatherwear and rubber to fetish, beachwear and lingerie.
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Nov 2013 (annual)
Amazing horsemanship, breathtaking jumping and beautiful horses are all on display during The London International Horse Show at Olympia. This event is something of an institution, with thrilling competitions including the Olympia Grand Prix, the Puissance and the prestigious World Cup Qualifier.
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Dec 2013 (annual)
Browse paintings including Old Masters, ancient Chinese ceramics, Art Deco jewellery and other sought-after treasures exhibited by British and international galleries at the annual London International Fine Art Fair. Buyers, curators and fine art aficionados fill the Olympia Exhibition Centre.
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Jun 2013 (annual)
Olympia's National Hall hosts The Yoga Show, featuring workshops, demonstrations, meditation areas and hundreds of stands dedicated to all things yogic. The thousands of visitors range from beginners to professional teachers.
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Oct 2013 (annual)
Rum is a drink that evokes balmy tropical evenings under the shade of palm trees, a slice of which will be served up at Olympia. Sip tiki-themed cocktails mixed by the world's best barmen and enjoy live music in the heart of Kensington.
Available :
Oct 2013 (annual)
Highgate Cemetery is a treasure trove of decadent Victorian deathly delights - its numerous tombs and gravestones reflect grand Victorian taste in every sense.
Available :
Daily
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